Greece Cuts Out Supermarket Middleman with Potato Movement

Greece is undergoing a food revolution dubbed, "The Potato Movement," which is much like those breadlines that happened in the USSR, only this time the people seem to be in favor of the food lines.

In the U.S., local food is available at farmers' markets and some grocery stores; in Greece, they are cutting out the middleman. The farmers distribute thousands of tons of potatoes and other produce directly off their trucks to crowds of consumers. In doing so, prices have significantly dropped.

The Guardian reports that this farm-to-family plan was started by professor Christos Kamenides and his students from the University of Thessaloniki. They devised an organized system to distribute the food with permission from local municipalities.

How does the process work?

The local town puts out the word that there is going to be a sale. People sign up for the items they want to purchase. Then the town puts in their order through professor Kamenides, and his students contact the local farmers to see who has the available produce to fulfill the orders. Farmers drive their trucks into town with their supply of food and provide their goods to the locals. According to The Guardian, this plan has been extremely successful. "Last month saw an online offer for 24 tons of potatoes sell out within four days, with 534 families pre-ordering," stated the article.

Given the recent economic woes of the country, this is the one "business" that seems to be booming. Farmers receive payment immediately instead of waiting on wholesalers to pay them, which can take up to a year. Apostolos Kasapis, one of the suppliers, told The Guardian, "I get paid straight away. The profit is not very high, just a bit above the production cost, but I get the money immediately, which in this crisis is very important."

With Greece's unemployment rate of 21%, more than double the rate in the U.S., even small savings are significant for consumers. People are hoping this inventive solution will be the kickstarter to help Greece out of its recession. One consumer told The Guardian, "If I can save € 20 on two sacks of potatoes, that's worth having." In a country that has been on the brink of economic collapse, could this sales model spread to other forms of commerce?

Do you think this system would work in the U.S. outside of traditional farmers' markets? Would you prefer to buy most of your food directly from a farmer if it meant cheaper prices and not having to go to the grocery store?